A backyard fireworks experiment went violently wrong in Lakewood on Saturday afternoon, sending a 47-year-old man to the hospital and blasting debris across a residential yard, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, reported by The News Tribune, a homemade fireworks compound exploded around 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, in the 6100 block of Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest. Investigators say the man had been making explosives and explosive devices when one of his compounds detonated, seriously injuring him. A detached shed on the property suffered structural damage in the blast, and explosive materials were later found scattered throughout the debris.
Why Homemade Fireworks Are Risky and Illegal
Washington’s fireworks code tightly controls who can manufacture fireworks and what kinds can be sold or used. Unlicensed manufacturing or possession of explosive devices is prohibited under state law; the detailed rules and definitions are laid out in RCW 70.77.
On top of that, local governments layer on their own rules. Pierce County and cities including Steilacoom and Tacoma have imposed limits or outright bans on fireworks use. Those local restrictions around the Fourth of July have been summarized in past seasons by Fox 13.
How This Fits a Worrying Pattern
Officials have long warned that homemade explosives are wildly unpredictable. A mix can detonate unexpectedly, sending shrapnel and hazardous materials across a property and injuring bystanders who might think they are a safe distance away…